Typographical distributing machine



Sept. 14 1926.

D. S. KENNEDY TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 1- ATT 1 RNEY$ Sept. 14 1926.

' D. S. KENNEDY TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING'MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR BY J 2 n Y @iMTTOR Y:

Filed Dec. 11, 1924 Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

rears-n [rare n t am DAVID sesame-Dr, or enoontrn, new Yeas,Assrsnonronnnonnrrmtnn LI-NOL GGMPANY, A CORPORATION CF NEWrYroGRArnIoAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

Application filed December 11, 192-4. Serial No. 755,245;

v This invention relates to typographical machinegsnch as linotypemachinesof the general organization represented in U. S. LettersPatent'to O Mergenthaler, No. 436, 532, wherein circulating matrices.are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters areto appear in print and then assembled in. line, the composed linetransferred to the face of a mold, the inold filled with molten metal toform a slug or linotype againstthe matrices which produce thetypecharacters thereon, and the matrices thereafter returned through adistributing mechanism to the. magazine from which they tarted. In somemachines, such as the commercial Model 9, where matrices may be crownfrom several magazines'and mixed together in the same line, the dtributingmechanism includes a primary di tributor which first SOTJL'Sthe matrices according to font, anda plurality of main distributorswhich thereafter sort the matrices of the individuai'fonts according to,character and. restore them to-their' proper channels in the magazines.lVith this type of distributing mechanism, the matrices, after fontseparation, pass down chutes or tubes and enter so-called lowerdistributor boxes, from which they are fed one at a.- time to the maindistributors under the control of reciprocating pawls or escapements; vIn order that these pawls or escapemen-ts may cooperate properly withthe matrices, the latter are provided in 'their'bottom edges withcentral notches, which necessarily vary in shape and depth according tothe thickness of the individual matrices, Besides adding to the cost ofproduction; such notche's' n th matrices materially limit the spaceordinarily requirod for the; regular font notch-es and,moreover,seriously Weaken the matrices, especially when the latter are:t'ormed with other necessary cuts or notches. Furthermore, matricescomprising fonts used on other machines, such as those of the single;distributor class, are. excluded from use on machines of the multipledistributor class described. since they do not have the required centralnotches.

Primarily, the present invention isintended to obviate the foregoingdifficulties and contemplates certain improvements whereby thedistributing mechanism may receive. and handle matrices of all fontswhether they have or ha e not the Objection:

able central notches referred to. In the preferred embodimentllustrated, each of the lower distributor boxes 1s cleared of all movingparts, suchas the reciprocatingpawls or similar devices, and thematrices allowed to pass directly to the pick-opposition wher they areengaged by the lead ng ends ofthe screw-threads and advanced in theusual way along the "distributor bar for final dist-ribn T1101}, Theconstructlon of. the boxes is thus greatly simplified and thecost ofmanufacture reduced to a IIIIIUIHLIHL. The conveying .ISCI'BYVS'ZLI'Balso. of special type, the threads thereof beingrecessed or cut awayintheir following side faces at points adjacent their receiving ends topresent suitable banking surfaces for the matrices as they emerge fromthe box andtoafford ample time for. pthelr getaway. Furthermore, meansare provided whereby the matrices are maintained upright as theyapproach the ]-pick-'up position and there restrained against rearwarddisplacementand abnormal upward displacement to insure their propercooperation with the conveying screws.

It has also been found desirable in the use of a distributor box ofthischaracter, for reasons which will later be pointed out, to operate thedistributin mechanism from an independent source ofpower. I e p In theaccompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely in preferredform. and by way of example and as applied to the specifictype ofdistributing mechanism indicated. -However, many -cl'1anges andvariations may be made therein and in its mode of application, whichwillstill be comprised within its spirit, It is to be understood,therefore, that the invention is not limitedto any specific form orembodiment except in so far as such limitations are specified in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sicle elevatio11 of'a linotype machine, partly in section,showing the two driving motors; f 1

F'g. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the improveddistributor box and conveying screws; and

3 is a vertical, transverse. section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.-

The'matri'ces X'are; released from the primary distributor rails '(notshown). and dropped at a certain rate, or that determined bythe R. P;Mwof the priinary screws A,

into the tubes or chutes A A arranged in communication with the lowerdistributor boxes B, through which they are guided and sustained inupright position by the engagement of their projecting ears X with theupper and lower inclined rails B 13 Each distributor box directs thematrices to the corresponding main distributor which comprises as usualthe longitudinally ribbed or permuted bar C and the set of matrixconveying screws C the arrangement being such that as the matricesemerge from the box they are picked up by the screws and advancedthereby across the horizontal rail extensions B into engagement with thebar C and thence along the same until finally released above theirproper magazine channels. The foregoing parts and their mode ofoperation, except as hereinafter pointed out, are or may be of anyapproved construction, or as embodied in the commer cial Model 9linotype.

According to the present invention and as before stated, each of thedistributor boxes B is cleared of the usual separating or escapementdevices and the matrices are allowed to slide uninterruptedly down theinclined rails B B until checked by contact of their projecting earswith the conveying screws. The latter (see Fig. 2) are preferablyof thegeneral type shown in the Guest Patent No. 1,530,491, that is to say,the following side faces of the screw-threads, as distinguished from theleading side faces thereof, and at points-adjacent their receiving ends,are cut. away or recessed to present vertical circumferential surfaces Cextending about half-way around the first convolution. These surfaces Cati'ord desirable banking surfaces for the matrices and. as a matter offact, constitute stops which, under normal conditions, are presented tothe projecting ears of the matrices as they emerge uninterruptedly, oneafter another, from the box. The matrices are thus squarely arrested atthe desired point in the p ck-up zone, but inasmuch as they might have atendency to recoil or rebound because of their impact with the screwsand stop the distributor, the rails B B are provided with shoulders orabutments B which serve to restrain the matrices against rearwarddisplacement when they reach the pick-up position. It will be noted thatthe restraining shoulders B are disposed in a vertical plane lyingbetween that of the banking surfaces C and the tapered leading ends C ofthe screw-threads, so that the individual matrices are caused to passbeyond the screw ends C and be deposited upon the rail extensions B,where they may rest momentarily or until their projecting ears areengaged by the leading side faces of the'screw-threads With thisarrangement, a matrix has ample room and time to reach the pick-upposition before it is carried away by the screws, the shoulders B beinglocated sufiiciently far from the tapered ends C of the SC16\ -threadsand the banking surfaces C being of sufiicient circumferential extent toprovide for any slight variation in the rat of delivery of the matrlcesto the screws, due to friction or other delaying influences. It will nowbe seen that a matrix when released by the primary distributor will passendwise through one or the other of the chutes A A enter the proper boxB and be straightened up at X (Fig. 2), so as to engage the rails B B,and then slide downwardly facewise along the rails directly into contactwith the banking surfaces C of the screws. These surfaces C are, ofcourse, properly coordinated so as to stand in the same vertical planeand arrest the matrix squarely in upright position. Any liability torebound or deflection is obviated by the shoulders E which thus maintainthe matrix in proper position to be picked up by the leading ends of thescrewthreads. It may be noted that the shoulders are located (as shownin Fig. 2) at such distance in advance of the banking surfaces 6 thatthe thickestmatrix cars will be accomm odated and matrices of all sizesguided accurately to the pick-up position.

Means are also provided whereby a matrix gravitating toward the pick-upposition will be maintained upright at all times. To this end, the loweredges of the rails B are extended in parallelism with the upper inclinededges thereof to a point slightly beyond the vertical plane of theshoulders B and are located at such distance from said upper edges as tocooperate with the lower projecting ears of the matrices and prevent thelatter from tilting or swinging forward- 1y atth'eir lower ends.Extensions B are in this way formed on the rails B and they serve theadditional purpose of preventing a matrix when it reaches the pick-upposition from being displaced above the shoulders B as n'iight otherwiseresult from its frictional contact with the rotating banking surfaces Clhe matrix conveying screws of the primary and main distributors aredriven at the same speed so that the individual matrices will follow oneanother through the distributor boxes a certain distance apart and besuccessively picked up by the screws C The timing of the parts is suchthat, under normal conditions, the recessed portions of the sc ews Cwill receive the matrices one after another, the rate of their deliveryto the pick-up position necessarily corresponding to the rate ofrotation of the screws. I

In the commercial linotype machines (see Fig. l), the usual drivingmechanism ineludes the cam shaft F and intermediate shaft G, theformerbeing intermittently driven from the electric motor E through the clutchmember F andth-e' drive pulley F and the latter being constantly drivenfrom the pulley F xby 'belting G Ordinarily, the distributorscrews aredriven ap: proximately at the rate of 300 R. P. M., so

that the matrices will drop from the primary distributor at the rate offive a second.

Accordingly, and due to the distancepbe tween the primary and maindistributors, several matrices are usually in course of gravitation atthe same time, and hence a nism. operate the distributing mechanismfrom-the slowing up. of the distributor screws might cause the matricesto pile up in thedistribu tor boxes and stop the distributing mecha-Heretofore, it has been the custom to intermediate shaft G, which, asjust stated, 18 constantly driven from the motor It.

However, in carrying.v out this invention,

it is proposed to operate the distributing mechanism by a separate motorD, which is entirely independent of the regular motor E. As shown inFig. l, the motor D is mounted adjacent the distributor bracket 0 on asupport D and drives the primary and main distributor screws throughsuitable belting D (indicated in dotted lines); As

a result of this arrangement, the distributing mechanism is operatedcontinuously and uniformly at all times to insure the steady anduninterrupted distribution of thematrices and is not-affected in any wayby the behavior of the regular motor 'E which is frequently slowed upfrom different causes,

such asthe sending through of a tight line, I

etc. i i l v r 7 Having thus described my invention, its

construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a setof matrix conveying screws, "the combination of guidingmeansto direct the matrices uninterruptedly into position to.

be picked upby the screws,and means for restraining the matrices againstrearward displacement when they reach suchposition- 2. In atypographical distributing mechanism comprisinga distributor bar and aset of matrix conveying screws, the combi nation of a distributor boxthrough which the matrices pass by gravity uninteri'nptedly intoposition to be picked up by the screws,

and means arranged to restrain the matrices against rearwarddisplacement when they reach such position. i Y

3. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the (zombi nation of adistributor box through which matrices, pass by gravity, upper and lowerguide rails arranged within said box to cooperatewith the projectingears of the matrices land :direct:themuninterruptedly' into position tobe picked up by the screws, and shoulders tormedon' saidrailstor-estrain the matrices against rearward when they reach thepick-imposition.

In a typographical distributing .mech anism comprising a distributor.bar and a of matrix conveying screws, thc..()0lfllj)l nation of adistributor box. roughwhiich "matrices pass by gravity.ui'iinterruptedly into position to .lIEiPlOliBt'l up by. thetserews,and means for restraining: the matrices against abnormal upwarddisplacement when they reach su chep'osition.'j 5. In atypographicaldistributing"mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a displacementset of inatrixconveying screws, the combi nation eta-distributor boxthrough which matrites pass by gravity into position to be wicked uo bthe screws means for niaiu i v 7 taining the matrices'upright as they'appreach the pick-up position, and means for restraining them againstabnormal"displacement when they reach such position.

7. In atypographical distributing mechanism comprisinga distributor barand a set of matrix conveying screws formed with matrix bankingsurfaces, the combination of a distributor box through which thematrices pass by gravity uninterruptedly into position to be picked upby the screws,ineaus tor maintaining *the matrices upright as theyapproach thev pick-up position, and shoulders for restraining saidmatrices against rearward displacement when they reach such position.

8. In a typographical distributing mech" anism, the combination of adistributor box through which matrices pass unii'iterruptedlyfbygravity, and a set of matrix conveying screws arranged to receive thematrices therefrom, the threads of' aid 's rews being cutaway in theirfollowing side faces at points adjacent their'recei-ving endsto pre sentbanking surit'aces for the matrices as they emerge from the box. i

' 9.111 a typographical distributing mech'- anism, the combination of adistributor box through which matrices pass uninterruptedly by gravity,and a set of matrixconvey- 7 ing screws arranged to pick up the matricesas they issue from the box, the first convolution of the screw-threadsbeing formed with vertical circumrerential banking surfaces adapted toarrest the matrices in the pick-up Zone.

10. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of adistributor box through which matrices pass by gravity, and upper andlower inclined guide rails arranged within said box to direct thematrices into position to be picked up by the screws, the lower edges ofsaid upper rails being extended in parallelism with the upper inclinededges thereof to maintain the individual matrices upright until theyreach the pick-up position.

11. In a typographical distributing mechanism, the combination of adistributor box through which matrices pass by gravity, a set of matrixconveying screws having the following side faces of their threads for aportion of the first convolution cut away so as to present verticalcircumferential banking surfaces for the matrices, and abut mentsarranged in a vertical plane in advance of said banking surfaces tocooperate with the projecting ears of the matrices in the manner setforth.

12. In a typographical distributing mechanism, the combination of a setof matrix conveying screws having the following side faces of theirrespective threads cut away from points adjacent the entrance of thegrooves to present vertical circumferential banking surfaces for thematrices, a distrib-v utor box, guide rails arranged therein to directthe matrices to the said banking surfaces, and shoulders formed on saidrails and arranged in a'vertical plane lying within' the cut-awayportions of the threads for restraining the matrices against rearwarddisplacement when they are arrested by the screw banking surfaces.

13. In a typographical distributing mech anism, the combination of. aset of matrix conveying screws formed with matrix banking surfaces, adistributor box, guide rails arranged therein to direct the matricesinto engagement with said banking surfaces, and

shoulders formed on said rails to restrain the matrices against rearwarddisplacement when arrested by the screw banking sur-' faces, the saidshoulders being disposed in a vertical plane lying between the leadingends of the screw-threads and said banking surfaces.

14. In a typographical distributing ma chine, the combination of aprimary distributor including a set of matrix conveying screws, aplurality of main distributors each likewise comprising a set of matrixconveying screws, means for driving the screws of the primary and maindistributors in proper synchronism, distributor boxes arranged toreceive the matrices from the primary distributor and guide them intoposition to be picked up by the screws of the main distributors, thelatter screws being formed at their receiving ends with verticalcircumferential banking surfaces to arrest the matrices as they issuefrom the respective distributor boxes.

15. In atypogra-phical distributing machine, the combination of aprimary distributor, including a set of matrix conveying screws, aplurality of main distributors each likewise comprising a set of matrixconveying screws, the latter being formed with matrix banking surfacesin the following side faces of their respective screw-threads at pointsadjacent their receiving ends, means for driving the screws of theprimary and main distributors in proper synchronism, distributor boxesarranged to receive the matrices from the primary distributor and guidethem into position to be picked up by the screws of the maindistributors, and shoulders, disposed in a vertical plane lying betweenthe leading ends of the screwthreads and said banking surfaces, for restraining the matrices when'in the pick-up position against rearwarddisplacement.

16. In a linotype machine, the combina-.

tion of the main cam shaft, and the distributing mechanism, with meansfor driving the said cam shaft, and separate andindependent means foroperating the distributing mechanism, the two said means functioningsimultaneously in operating their respective parts.

17. In a linotype machine, the combination' of the main cam shaft andthe distributing mechanism comprising a primary distributor and aplurality of main distributors, with a motor for driving the cam shaft,and a separate motor for operating the distributing mechanism, the twosaid motors functioning simultaneously in driving their respectiveparts.

18. A typographical distributing mechanism according to claim 1%,characterized by the fact that it is operated from an in dependentsource of power, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have aiiixe'd my signature hereto.

DAVID S. KENNEDY.

